Title VI Civil Rights Program

RTC Title VI Civil Rights Program

Section 601 under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 states the following:

“No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

RTC is committed to ensuring that no person on the basis of race, color, or national origin will be excluded from participation or subjected to discrimination with regard to the transportation planning and programming activities conducted by RTC’s employees, affiliates, and contractors.

Language Assistance Plan

The purpose of this Language Assistance Plan is to clarify the responsibilities of RTC, as a recipient of federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), to persons with Limited English Proficiency (LEP), pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and implementing regulations. It was prepared in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000d, et seq., and its implementing regulations provide that no person shall be subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin under any program or activity that receives federal financial assistance.

Executive Order 13166

Executive Order 13166 “Improving Access to Services for Persons With Limited English Proficiency,” reprinted at 65 FR 50121 (August 11, 2000), directs each Federal agency that is subject to the requirements of Title VI to publish guidance for its respective recipients clarifying that obligation. Executive Order 13166 further directs that all such guidance documents be consistent with the compliance standards and framework detailed in the Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) Policy Guidance entitled “Enforcement of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964–National Origin Discrimination Against Persons With Limited English Proficiency.” (See 65 FR 50123, August 16, 2000 DOJ’s General LEP Guidance.) Different treatment based upon a person’s inability to speak, read, write, or understand English may be a type of national origin discrimination.

Executive Order 13166 applies to all federal agencies and all programs and operations of entities that receive funding from the federal government, including state agencies, local agencies and governments (such as RTC), private and non-profit entities, and sub-recipients.

RTC Staff Training

RTC Staff Training

All RTC staff will be provided with the LAP Plan and will be educated on the following procedures. This information will also be part of the staff orientation process for new hires. Training topics are listed below:

Understanding the Title VI policy and LEP responsibilities;

Language assistance services RTC offers;

Who the Spanish speaking staff members are and how to contact them when needed;

Who the authorized translators and interpreters for hire are and how to enlist their services when needed;

How to use the “Language Line” interpretation and translation services;

Documentation of language assistance requests;

How to handle a Title VI and/or LEP complaint.

Language Assistance Measures

RTC will continue to include a notice in its meeting agendas stating that Spanish interpreter services will be provided upon request.

RTC will continue to provide Spanish interpreters for advertised public hearings and workshops and include a notification in the outreach materials and agendas for those events that such services will be available.

RTC staff, who are fluent in Spanish, will continue to be available for Spanish language communication with the community as needed.

When an interpreter is needed, in person or on the telephone, RTC staff will first attempt to determine what language is required, and then seek services of a staff interpreter, or authorized interpreter for hire or utilize the telephone interpreter service – Language Line Services at http://www.languageline.com/.

Dissemination of RTC Language Assistance Plan

RTC will include the Language Assistance Plan along with the Title VI Program on the RTC website (www.sccrtc.org). Any person, including social service, non-profit, and law enforcement agencies and other community partners with internet access, will be able to access the plan. Copies of the Language Assistance Plan will be provided, on request, to any person(s) requesting the document via phone, in person, by mail or email. LEP persons may obtain copies/translations of the plan upon request.

Title VI Complaint Procedures

Any person who believes she or he has been discriminated against on the basis of race, color, or national origin by the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) may file a Title VI complaint by completing and submitting the agency’s Title VI Complaint Form. RTC investigates complaints received no more than 180 days after the alleged incident. RTC will process complaints that are complete.

Complaints must be in writing and signed by the complainant on the form provided. Complaints must include the complainant’s name, address, and phone number and must be detailed to specify all issues and circumstances of the alleged discrimination. Allegations must be based on issues involving race, color, or national origin. Click here for the Title VI Complaint Form.